For the third team on this list of unlucky MLB ball clubs and fanbases, we have the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers are coming off a historical year, with Miggy retiring. Other than that, it was not a year to be proud of. The Tigers finished the 2022 season 66-96, beating out the Royals by only one game in the AL Central. However, let’s take a step back and see what we think Tigers fans have to look forward to this baseball season.
Projected Starting Lineup/Pitching Rotation:
Riley Greene – OF
Nick Maton – 3B
Javier Baez – SS
Austin Meadows – OF
Jonathan Schoop – 2B
Kerry Carpenter – DH
Spencer Torkelson – 1B
Akil Baddoo – OF
Jake Rogers – C
ROTATION:
Why look forward to this lineup?
The Tigers have a few names in their lineups that can really turn some heads, and possibly light this team on fire. Javier Baez is one that really jumps off the page. The flashy middle infielder really has the potential to have 30/30 seasons year in and year out. Although he doesn’t seem to produce in Detroit as he once did in Chicago, the guys can simply play baseball. Baez played in 144 games last season for the Tigers, where she had a .238 batting average, 17 home runs, and 67 RBIs. That isn’t much compared to his best season with the Cubs, where he played in 160 games, had 34 home runs, 111 RBIs, and hit .290. That goes to show the kind of player he can turn it around and be in Detroit.
Another name that sticks out on this lineup card is Spencer Torkelson. The young player had a somewhat tough rookie season, where he played in 110 games, had 73 hits, 8 home runs, and hit just .203. There was a lot of hype to live up to, even before Torkelson played in a single MLB game. As Detroit Tigers manager, AJ Hinch, also said, I do not believe fans should be worried about his performance. He is a young guy with a lot of upside. That alone is something that Detroit fans should be looking forward to, and should shift their sights towards the future.
Prospects in the Tigers’ Organization:
Jackson Jobe – RHP
- Jobe is the number 7 ranked prospect in the MLB this year. In his senior year of high school last season, he was 9-0 with a 0.13 ERA, 122 K’s, 5 walks, 51 and ⅔ innings pitched, and led his team to a state title. Detroit took Jobe #3 overall and gave him a 6.9 million dollar signing bonus. His slider is raved about, and the guy fills up the strike zone. He is indeed one of the most praised about pitching prospects in recent years.
Jace Jung – 2B
- Jace Jung was taken 12th overall by the Tigers in 2021, after winning Big 12 Conference Player of the Year. Jung has drawn more walks than strikeouts in every year of his collegiate career, and the lefty hit .328 in his career at Texas Tech with 39 home runs in 136 games played. He is another young prospect with a lot of upside, and a chance to make an impact in the big leagues in the coming years.
Wilmer Flores – RHP
- This 6’4” pitcher tops out at 98 mph and comes from Arizona Western College. He did not have a great last season there, as he only threw in 11 and ⅔ innings, where he struck out 16 batters and walked 12. However, last season he played in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League and Low-A ball last season, and he threw 66 innings where he struck out 90 batters. This goes to show that the big righty is able to make adjustments as he is needed to, and is able to dial his accuracy down and be more efficient on the mound.
Outlook for the Organization:
The Tigers, who have won four World Series Championships in the team’s history, have some promising young talent to look forward to. Between the three prospects that are mentioned above, and already having second-year talent Spencer Torkelson getting big-time innings in the MLB, the Tigers have young talent on both sides of the baseball. They also have the 22-year-old outfielder, Riley Greene, who has been getting substantial time with the team. Although it does not look promising for the Tigers to win in the near future, fans should not be completely down on this season.
The Tigers also have some veteran presence in the locker room. I talked about Javier Baez earlier in this article, but Eduardo Rodriguez graces the pitching staff for this team. Rodriguez came into the league in 2015 and played the first six seasons of his career with the Red Sox. Rodriguez has since become the ace of this Tigers team and had a 4.05 ERA last season with a 5-5 record. He hasn’t had a losing record on the mound since 2017 and should provide excellent guidance for these young prospect arms that are coming through the organization.
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